Dubai Driving License Cost 2026 — The Full Breakdown

If your current licence comes from a country on RTA's exchange list, a Dubai licence costs AED 1,050 and involves no school and no tests. Starting from nothing, Belhasa's regular 20-hour course plus RTA's fees, an eye test and the licence comes to AED 4,542.75, and that assumes every test is passed first time. Each failed road test adds AED 220 and four retraining sessions. The figures below come from RTA's service pages, last updated in September and October 2026, and from Belhasa's published fee table.

The current law

UAE traffic and licensing is governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2024 on Traffic Regulation, in force from 29 March 2025. It repealed Federal Law No. 21 of 1995, so articles that still cite the 1995 law are out of date.

What RTA charges

1. Opening the file: AED 370. RTA lists a traffic file at AED 200, a learning permit at AED 100, the handbook at AED 50 and AED 20 in knowledge and innovation fees on its new licence service page.
2. Eye test: AED 140 to 180, depending on the centre. It has to be done at an eye test centre accredited by the Dubai Health Authority and authorised by RTA, and the result is valid for 3 years.
3. Tests: AED 220 each. The knowledge test, the yard test and the road test are each AED 200 plus AED 20. Missing a booked test means paying the fee again.
4. Licence: AED 320 at 21 or older, AED 120 under 21 (AED 300 or AED 100, plus AED 20), paid on RTA's website after the road test. Posting the card is optional, from AED 20 for standard delivery.

What the driving school charges

Schools set their own prices. Belhasa Driving Center publishes its light-vehicle fees for its Al Wasl, Nad Al Hammar, Al Qusais and Al Quoz 4 branches. Its regular course costs:

• AED 4,080.25 for 20 hours, the course for beginners
• AED 3,807.25 for 15 hours, for drivers who have held a licence for 2 to 5 years
• AED 3,429.25 for 10 hours, for more than 5 years

Each of those totals already includes AED 1,030 of RTA fees: the AED 370 file plus three tests at AED 220. The eye test and the licence fee are extra. Night, Sunday and shift courses cost more; the 20-hour shift course is AED 5,088.25. Belhasa also sells lump-sum packages with several test attempts included, priced from AED 7,202.50 to AED 10,457.50 depending on hours, gearbox and schedule.

If you fail the road test

RTA doesn't publish a pass rate. What it does publish is the cost of failing: after each failed road test, 4 training sessions before the next one, and the AED 220 test fee again. The school charges for the sessions at its own rate, so ask for that price before signing. RTA also says a road test slot can take up to 14 working days after training is complete.

RTA's exchange list

RTA's exchange page lists 60 licence origins, among them Britain, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, most European countries, the other five GCC states, China, Japan and South Korea. The exchange costs AED 1,050: traffic file AED 200, licence AED 600, handbook AED 50, eye test AED 180 and AED 20 in knowledge and innovation fees. Some licences need a legal translation first.

Several large expat nationalities aren't on the list: India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Egypt and Nepal. Holders of those licences go through a school, but they don't start from zero.

A licence that can't be exchanged

Per RTA, a valid foreign licence cuts the training to 20 sessions if it was issued more than 5 years ago, 30 sessions for 2 to 5 years, and 40 for under 2 years. RTA also offers a one-time "golden chance": the knowledge and road tests with no training. A failed golden-chance road test means doing the training after all. Golden Visa holders with a valid licence from any country don't need a training course.

Two worked examples

In Example 1, one failed road test would add AED 220 plus whatever the school charges for the four retraining sessions.

Licence validity

Per RTA and the official u.ae guidance, a first licence is valid for 2 years at 21 or older and 1 year under 21. A renewed licence is valid for 5 years for residents aged 21 or older, 10 years for UAE and GCC citizens, and 1 year under 21. RTA lists the renewal fees as the licence fee, AED 20 and an eye test, plus a medical test where one is required, priced by the hospital. Late renewal is fined AED 10 a month up to AED 500, and a licence expired for more than 10 years needs an evaluation test first.

Three questions before signing with a school

1. Is your licence on RTA's exchange list for your nationality? If it is, you don't need a school.
2. Do you have written quotes from two or more RTA-approved Dubai schools, such as Belhasa, Galadari, Al Ahli, Drive Dubai or Emirates Driving Institute? The schedule matters too: Belhasa's 20-hour course runs from AED 4,080.25 (regular) to AED 5,088.25 (shift).
3. What does the school charge for the four retraining sessions after a failed road test?

Run your own numbers in the calculator below: pick your situation, then type your school's quote over the Belhasa figure.